Mike Allen is one of Washington’s most influential and well-connected journalists. He is the co-founder and executive editor of Axios, a disruptive media company delivering news and insights on politics, business, media, and tech. The company, whose name means “worthy” in Greek, specializes in high-quality news and analysis easily shared among the country’s influential readers and across social platforms. Axios has been recognized for its forward-thinking approach to the way people consume news in the 21st century. The approach is chronicled in Allen’s book Smart Brevity: Saying More with Less, which he co-authored alongside Axios co-founder, Jim VandeHei. In addition to starting Axios, Allen was a co-founder at POLITICO, the digital media company that upended and revolutionized political and policy journalism in Washington, New York, and Europe. He not only reported on but also drove the day’s conversations in and around the Beltway. His sharp journalistic experience and coveted insider status make him an ideal choice to discuss the latest political happenings. In presentations, he offers his nonpartisan, energetic and up-to-the-minute insider perspective on the political issues of the day, the current administration, Congress, and building a business in an unsteady economy.

Jim VandeHei is a media entrepreneur and expert on American politics. He is the co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Axios, a new media company delivering news and insights on politics, business, media and tech. The company, whose name means “worthy” in Greek, specializes in high-quality news and analysis easily shared among the country's most influential readers and across social platforms.

A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, John Harwood is a widely respected expert in presidential politics and an admired voice in American homes renowned for his compelling explorations into headline-grabbing events in Washington, as well as his must-see interviews with some of the most influential leaders shaping the future of our nation. A household name on screen and in print for several decades, Harwood has served as White House correspondent for CNN and chief Washington correspondent for CNBC, and has offered political analysis for The New York Times, NBC, MSNBC, NPR, and PBS. Harwood has his finger on the pulse of the latest in the White House and on Capitol Hill, offering an insightful and nonpartisan look at today’s political landscape. Having covered each of the last ten presidential elections, he breaks down the Washington political scene as a whole, drawing on decades of journalistic experience to provide hard-hitting analysis of the current state of Beltway politics and how factors such as elections, current events, and congressional culture will impact the current presidential administration as well as the American public.

Mark Penn’s career spans 40 years in market-research, advertising, public relations, polling, and consulting, and he has advised top world leaders, led companies, and written best-selling books. Currently, Penn is the president and managing partner of The Stagwell Group, a private equity fund that invests in marketing services companies and reinvents the traditional holding company model. Before founding The Stagwell Group, he served in senior executive positions at Microsoft, where as executive vice president and chief strategy officer, he was responsible for working on core strategic issues across the company, blending data-analytics with creativity to help set the company on a new course.

Michael K. Farr, the founder and CEO of Farr, Miller & Washington, LLC, is the Chairman of their Investment Committee and is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day activities of the firm. Michael is the longest-running paid contributor for CNBC television and appears regularly on The Today Show, Good Morning America, NBC’s Nightly News, CNN, BloombergTV, Reuters, and the Nightly Business Report. He can be heard on Associated Press Radio, CBS Radio, and National Public Radio, and has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fortune, The Washington Post, Businessweek, USA Today, and many other publications. Michael is a highly sought-after speaker who covers topics such as investing, retirement, the current economic situation, the Federal Reserve, and much more.

Manu Raju is a senior congressional correspondent at CNN, covering Capitol Hill and campaign politics. Raju is a veteran reporter in Washington, having previously served as a top Capitol Hill correspondent at Politico for seven years. Prior to his time at Politico, Raju reported for The Hill newspaper, Congressional Quarterly and Inside Washington Publishers. He has long been a frequent guest on political talk shows on TV and radio.